The 2012 Draft Long Term Plan supports the idea of opening the Caversham Tunnel BUT THERE IS NO MONEY ALLOCATED for this. Rather, the Council expects all work for this city amenity to be funded through donations and volunteer work. There is a small budget of existing funds from 2011/2012 still available that we are also asking to be rolled over into the 2012/2013 financial year to continue investigations.

In 2010 and 2011, submissions on the tunnels were one of the top topics people felt strongly enough to contact the Council on. The Council need to hear your voices to act and they need to be told this year as well!

Here are some suggestions for what you may want to include in a written or online submission:

Heritage: The Caversham and Chain Hills tunnels are part of Dunedin's heritage and New Zealand rail history that should be highlighted and celebrated, not left hidden and under-used.

Goals: A cycle/walkway through the tunnels fits with DCC and Transits respective visions and goals for cycling and pedestrians encouraging fitness, recreation, and safety separating motorised from non-motorised traffic.

Environmentally sound: The global recognition of environmentally aware solutions to transportation shows that this facility would not only be a popular, but a responsible transportation initiative and put back in use an asset that has been severely under-utilised over the past decades, while encouraging a healthy choice for commuters.

Tourism: An 865m long tunnel within the city boundaries would be a huge drawcard for tourists: walking or biking. There is an opportunity for cycle and walking tours for locals, New Zealanders, and overseas visitors. It would become one of Dunedin's Crown Jewels of tourist attractions. Additionally, a Rail Trail from the coast to Clyde would result in increased ‘bed nights' as tourists start where the original rail started at the railway Station, cycle both the Caversham and Chain Hills rail tunnels, before taking the train at Wingatui Platform through the Taieri Gorge, and then link up with the OCRT to finish at Clyde: or vice versa, effectively extending the OCRT and bringing in more tourists to Dunedin.

Technical solutions: Problems of shared use of the tunnel with gas, water, and sewage utilities can all be solved with application of technical solutions and should not hold up use of the tunnel by the citizens of Dunedin as well as outside visitors. Other tunnels around the country and around the world prove this.

Financial: The financial cost to the city would be far exceeded by the financial benefit from the increase in tourist traffic: the Otago Central Rail Trail has shown how popular rail trails now are.

Here is a sample letter for the 2012 Annual Submission (shorter version further down):

Submission: Re-establish the old Caversham - Kaikorai Valley rail tunnel and Chain Hills tunnel as a walking and cycling track

I would like to request that the disused rail tunnels running from Caversham to Kaikorai Valley, and connecting through to the old Chain Hills tunnel be re-established as a walking and cycle track, providing both an interesting Dunedin Heritage walk as well as a safer and easier cycleway in and out of Dunedin for the southern end of the city, with Transport funding allocated over the next 2 years for issue mitigation and track development.

This creates a route between the two tunnels, providing a commuting, recreational cycling, and tourist trail between Dunedin and Mosgiel. This is also the original section of the Otago Central Rail Trail and would become the start/end point for OCRT riders.

This submission fits neatly within the DCC Draft Transportation Strategy for both cycling and walking. As a commuting option it eliminates the Lookout Point and Saddle Hill height barriers; enables the cyclists to be able to move away from major traffic flows; provides an instant, local, accessible tourist attraction of Dunedin's heritage; and follows the general increase of awareness and participation in outdoor activities and the "green economy".This is not only a part of Dunedin's history that needs to be preserved and used, but an incredible resource that should be utilised to the full for recreation as well as commuting.

I support the opening of the old Caversham Tunnel as a combined cycleway walkway and wish to see the Council allocate suitable funding for this in the Long Term Plan.

Thank you.

Or a just simple sentence - that's all it takes!

Submission: I support the opening of the old Caversham Tunnel as a combined cycleway walkway and wish to see the Council allocate suitable funding for this in the Long Term Plan.

To send your submission to the DCC, copy the above text, then click on the Submission page link below and submit the DCC form there.